THE EU WAY = NO WAY

The EU insists diplomacy, not sanctions, will convince Cuba and Iran to follow a more enlightened. Well, the strategy isn't working: Iran continues work on its nuclear program and Castro has just thumbed his nose at enlightened Europeans:

The Cuban government has not granted permission for the "Ladies in White", the European Parliament's 2005 Sakharov Prize winners, to travel to Strasbourg to receive the award.

MEPs will hold a special ceremony on Wednesday (14 December) to deliver the prize for "freedom of thought" to the three winners chosen this year.

Press organisation Reporters Without Borders and a Nigerian lawyer Hauwa Ibrahim will share the reward with the Cuban activists.

The "Ladies in White" have been recognized "for their action in favour of political prisoners in Cuba."

The mealy mouthed wording – "the Cuban government has not granted permission" – of this EU Observer report is worth noting – wouldn't want to piss off those touchy Cubans, now would we?